Tracy Shick
Contributing Writer
(Tracy Shick /TCJ – (Left) John Dexter outside of Historic Reynolds School. (Right) Classroom Interior of Historic Reynolds School.)
Standing inside the Reynolds School is like stepping back more than a century into a time when education looked very different from what it does today.
Recently, Bellevue resident and historical society volunteer John Dexter provided a tour of the Reynolds School, originally built in 1885 as one of the many one-room schoolhouses that served rural Bellevue-area students before school consolidation. The building is one of twenty-four schools that once educated children throughout the Bellevue area before students were eventually brought together into a centralized district.
According to Dexter, the Reynolds School was moved to Bellevue in 1948 and later relocated to its current site near Bellevue Elementary School in 2012. The move and restoration effort required years of dedication from local volunteers determined to preserve an important piece of Bellevue’s history.
The last class to attend Reynolds School was a fourth-grade class in 1957, marking the end of more than six decades of service to local students.
Today, visitors entering the building immediately notice the authentic details that bring the classroom to life. Rows of antique desks remain arranged throughout the classroom, creating a setting that allows visitors to imagine what a typical school day looked like for students more than a century ago. Historic textbooks rest on desktops waiting for students who will never return. A beautifully restored upright piano sits in one corner, while vintage photographs show classrooms filled with Bellevue children from generations past.
One of the most striking features is the ornate cast-iron wood stove that was donated by Robert and Catherine Brown and remains a centerpiece of the room. Numerous books, photographs, and educational artifacts have also been donated by local residents and organizations, creating a genuine glimpse into everyday school life from more than a century ago.
Outside the building, a historical marker explains that Reynolds School serves as a memorial to the teachers and students who lived and learned there. The preserved schoolhouse helps visitors understand both the evolution of education and the history of the Bellevue community.
Dexter and other volunteers hope the school will soon become an educational destination once again. Plans are being discussed to open the building when school resumes this fall for field trips, homeschool groups, daycare centers, and other educational organizations. The goal is to provide students with a hands-on experience that allows them to compare modern classrooms with those of the past.
For anyone who has ever wondered what school was like before computers, smart phones, and even electricity, the Reynolds School offers a rare opportunity to experience history firsthand. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers and donors, this small one-room schoolhouse continues teaching lessons nearly 140 years after it first opened its doors.
“Preserving the past for the future” remains the mission of the Bellevue Historical Society, and the Reynolds School stands as one of its finest accomplishments.
